Singapore plans to expand its national mental health initiative for youth, Grow Well SG, to include Secondary 1 and 2 students at 20 schools beginning early next year, with full rollout to all secondary schools scheduled for 2028. The announcement was made by Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung on October 22, who emphasized the role of schools in promoting mental resilience and early intervention among young people.
Grow Well SG, launched in early 2025 by the Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Social and Family Development, seeks to foster healthier lifestyles and address mental well-being challenges faced by children and adolescents in Singapore’s digital age. The programme initially targeted primary school students and will now extend to secondary students, incorporating personalised health plans developed in collaboration with healthcare professionals. These plans will focus on normalizing mental health discussions and increasing awareness of available support services.
Highlighting schools as an integral environment for youth development, Ong noted that they serve as safe spaces where students can learn coping skills and seek help for personal challenges. Current school efforts include resilience-building within the curriculum, fostering supportive relationships, and providing access to school counsellors. The expansion aims to build on this foundation by integrating mental health support more deeply within the education system.
To enhance access to mental health services, MOH will consolidate existing community mental health teams under a unified framework known as HealthierMind SG. This network is intended to streamline service delivery, making it easier for young people to receive appropriate care. Ong explained that a key obstacle is the stigma surrounding mental health, which often deters youth from seeking help due to fears over confidentiality, potential impact on their future, family disappointment, or social judgment.
The new framework will change current referral practices by triaging cases based on severity. Rather than referring all students requiring additional support to specialized public institutions such as the Institute of Mental Health, less severe cases will be directed to community organizations capable of providing more accessible, tailored care. This approach is expected to foster closer collaboration between schools and community service providers.
In addition, Ong outlined plans to provide clearer guidelines on how young individuals can safely seek initial help, including protocols on family involvement at appropriate stages of care. The ministry also aims to increasingly involve general practitioners in mental health support. Updates on parental consent policies for mental health services were referenced as part of these ongoing efforts.
The rising prevalence of mental health symptoms such as depression and anxiety among young people in Singapore underscores the importance of early intervention. Studies indicate that approximately one in three individuals aged 10 to 18 report such conditions, reinforcing Ong’s call for a preventive approach akin to the management of chronic physical illnesses. The expanded Grow Well SG programme and HealthierMind SG framework represent comprehensive steps toward supporting youth mental wellness through integrated, community-based care and destigmatization initiatives.